With the
holiday season approaching fast, it’s time to think about appetizers. If you’re
going to a party, hosting a party, or making a big holiday dinner then you may
need to make appetizers or bring them.
Appetizers
don’t have to be super complicated. I’m sure there are many that are more
elaborate and time consuming but we are going to look at making really easy and
quick but yummy appetizers so you’re not in the kitchen all day making them.
Easy Appetizers:
1. Toothpick Caprese Salad. Put a
grape/cherry tomato on a toothpick then add on a bocconcini ball, and then piece of
basil. Drizzle all of your Caprese toothpick salads with olive oil and balsamic
vinegar.
2. Jalapeno Cheese Crisps - Preheat
the oven to 375 degrees. Cook some slices of bacon until crispy and chop and put
aside. On a baking sheet place a mound of Parmesan cheese and then on top about
a tbsp. of cheddar. Place a jalapeno slice and sprinkle some bacon bits on top
of that. Make as many as you’d like. Cook until golden and crisp, about 12
minutes.
3. Garlicy Dipping Oil – Whisk together
½ cup of olive oil, 4 cloves of garlic, pinch of red pepper flakes and sea salt,
ground pepper, 1/3 cup of Parmesan, and a 2 tbsp. parsley. Serve with a sliced
baguette.
4. Apple Bacon Crostini – Preheat the
oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet, place apple medium thick slices about a
½ inch apart. You can choose what type of apple you like (some may like the
sweeter ones and some may prefer more tart ones like Granny Smiths). Top the
apples first with a thin slice of sharp white cheddar cheese and then sprinkle
some bacon bits on top. Bake until the cheese has partially melted about 7-9
minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle ground pepper on top before
serving.
5. Bacon Brussel Sprout Skewers – Preheat
oven to 400 degrees. Place a metal rack inside a baking sheet. On a skewer
pierce a piece of bacon then pierce a brussel sprout. Repeat two or three more
times depending on how long your skewer is. Place on the baking sheet and roast
for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with pepper before serving.
6. Pita Chips – Take some store
bought pitas, whole wheat or white and brush with olive oil and sprinkle with
salt and pepper. Fry in a pan until crisp and golden on both sides. Cut into
triangles and serve with dip. To make it a sweet bite, sprinkle with sugar and
cinnamon instead of salt and pepper.
7. Dill Dip (you can dip the pita
chips in this) – Mix 1 cup of sour cream, 1 cup of mayonnaise, 2 tbsp. of dried
dill weed, 2 tbsp. of dried onion. 1 tbsp. of dried parsley, 1 tsp. of garlic
powder, and a pinch of salt. You can also make this with fresh dill and parsley.
I’ve done it with a ¼ cup of each fresh.
8. Baked Eggs in Portobello Mushroom
Cap – Clean some Portobello mushroom caps. Rub them all on the outside with a
little bit of olive oil and place a piece of prosciutto inside them al. Crack an egg in a
small bowl and slide into the mushroom cap. Sprinkle with pepper and fresh
herbs of your choice. Bake for 20-30minutes at 375 degrees.
9. Baked Wrapped Date – Slice a date
lengthwise and remove the pit. Fill with goat cheese and close back up. Cut
your back slices in half and wrap each date with back and secure with a
toothpick. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Turn onto the opposite side and bake for 5-8 more minutes. Keep turning and
baking for 5-8 minutes until the entire thing is crispy and golden. Place on a
paper towel to cool.
10. Deviled Eggs – Hard boil 6 eggs.
Once cooled, peel the eggs and slice lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks and place
in a bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork until crumbled. Mix in 2 tbsp. of mayonnaise
and 2tsp. of mustard. Mix and mash until you form a paste. You can add more
mayonnaise if you’d like it creamier. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Pipe the filling into the egg or spoon in with a small spoon. Sprinkle with
paprika and fresh herbs.
